Enough with the Marvin takes on cheerful topics... this is just depressing. Lindauer, 42, the cousin of former White House Chief of Staff, Andy Card, was released in September from a New York correctional facility after spending a year in jail, awaiting in horrendous conditions government-imposed psychiatric evaluations.
A former journalist, congressional aide and U.S. intelligence asset in the Iraqi Embassy, Lindauer tried to notify the Bush administration through her cousin that Iraq posed no WMD threat and wanted to cooperate with U.S. authorities to avert a conflict.
For her actions contrary to the Bush administration's policy of "war at any cost without justification," Lindauer was charged with a federal crime for being an Iraqi agent, a charge she has vehemently denies throughout her long and unjustified incarceration.
So that's the summary. It gets worse. Now that she's out, she won't keep her story quiet about the legnths the government went through to keep her imprisoned, despite NO evidence of psychiatric disorders or incompetancy to stand trial.
"I was working for the benefit of the people, trying to get out the truth. But the Bush administration wanted no part of that and labeled me a terrorist because they intent on going to war even though there were no WMD in Iraq and, in fact, the Iraqi's wanted to cooperate with weapons inspectors in order to avert war.
"But I found out the hard way that the Bush administration already made up its mind to go to war and anybody who got in their way was going to be stepped on hard. The government charged mw with a serious crime and I was out on bond for more than 18 months, but then about a year ago, without any intention of going to trial, they mandated psychiatric evaluations based on my statements and actions opposing the war.
I was accused of acting as an Iraqi Agent for the purposes of lobbying against the War, (not spying). I am a Democrat. My cousin, Andy Card, is the former Chief of Staff to President Bush. A year ago, the Court ordered me to surrender to Carswell Prison, which sits on a military base outside of Fort Worth, Texas-- one of the most god-awful places I've ever imagined in my life. Truly sadistic staff. Very ugly people. There I was declared incompetent to stand trial. Please note that I was denied the most basic right to a Competency Hearing, where I could have called long-time friends and associates to testify in my defense.
Since they had no behavioral evidence, or witness testimony from friends and family to support their request for forcible drugging, they told the court that I am "secretly delusional." Nobody knows about it, they said-- not even the court-ordered psychologist in Maryland, whom I was required to see for 18 months after my arrest. (He had no idea).
They pointed to fiction writing, and old religious writings that I had used in my approach to Libya, when we were trying to start negotiations for the Lockerbie Trial in the mid-1990s. Much of that was more than 10 years old. Moreover, they had plucked paragraphs, and spliced my writing all to hell, so that it does not even read like the originals.
That's forensic psychiatry for you, folks! it's a scary business, apparently lacking much in the way of integrity. As "Dr." Vas told me at Carswell. "I'm going to tell the Judge you made it all up. And who do you think he's going to believe-- you or me? I am a doctor."
Yes, truly frightening.
Thankfully, the Judge ruled against the Prosecution last week. I was released after serving 11 months in prison. But who can say if it's really over? For all I know, the Prosecutor is planning a new line of attack right now.
This White House leadership is much more dangerous than you think. But also our democracy is much stronger and enduring than we realize. Chief Justice Mukasey proved that our courts have the capability and wise stewardship to protect us as citizens when the government goes berserk and starts attacking pluralism. I am so profoundly grateful to his overall attack on the case against me, I just can't even tell you. It has been stupefying and totally, totally dishonest. But that's our Iraqi policy today. In many ways, the case against me reflects that chaos. I have been up against some very powerful and ruthless men, determined to wreak confusion as to my activities before the War, and I have no delusions that I am very small.
Scary eh? So much for American justice... Its disgusting that she was kept illegally imprisoned for so long, simply because her experience with the Iraq situation was different from what the administration wanted people to know about. I guess Joe Wilson got off LUCKY-only his wifes job and identity shattered, his name dragged through the mud...
I'm afraid to see the next steps against people who dare to present evidence against the Bush administrations agenda.
To say that they have totally reversed the principles of our great nation doesn't seem like hyperbola talk. And that in itself is a rather frightening thought...